Month: May 2023

King of the Sidonians

I, Tabnith, priest of Ashtaroth, king of the Sidonians, son of Eschmonazar, priest of Ashtaroth, king of the Sidonians, lie here under this covering. 0 thou man, whoever thou be, who shall discover my tumulus, open it not, and disturb me net; for there is neither gold, nor is there silver, nor is there any treasure buried with me ; I alone lie here. Open not, therefore, my tomb, nor do thou violate it in any manner whatsoever ; and if thou dost open my tomb, or violate it in any manner whatsoever, may thou have no seed living under the sun, nor resting-place in Hades.

The pedestal evidently dates from the middle of the fourth century B.C.; for though there is no accurate information as to the period when King Tabnith lived, it does not appear that he was alive after the fourth century B.C.

Contrary to the foregoing inscription, a number of jewels and precious stones were found in the sarcophagus, and are on view in Bronze Eoom, No. 19, 2nd floor, show case Ko. 11

I, Tabnith, priest of Ashtaroth, king of the Sidonians, son of Eschmonazar, priest of Ashtaroth, king of the Sidonians, lie here under this covering. 0 thou man, whoever thou be, who shall discover my tumulus, open it not, and disturb me net; for there is neither gold, nor is there silver, nor is there any treasure buried with me ; I alone lie here. Open not, therefore, my tomb, nor do thou violate it in any manner whatsoever ; and if thou dost open my tomb, or violate it in any manner whatsoever, may thou have no seed living under the sun, nor resting-place in Hades.

The pedestal evidently dates from the middle of the fourth century B.C.; for though there is no accurate information as to the period when King Tabnith lived, it does not appear that he was alive after the fourth century B.C.

Contrary to the foregoing inscription, a number of jewels and precious stones were found in the sarcophagus, and are on view in Bronze Eoom, No. 19, 2nd floor, show case Ko. 115. Tabnith’s embalmed corpse, which was also discovered in the sarcophagus, was in a wonderfully good state of preservation, especially the skin on one side of the head and on the back, these being the parts lying in immediate contact with the sandy soil. The intestines were also partly intact, as well as the hair.

In the same hall are twelve more sarcophagi. Some are of black and some of white stone. With the exception of No. 86, which is in Greek style, and bears an E, they have no inscriptions on them.

BOOM NO. 3.—On the right and left: Sarcophagi from Lycia; on each side of the door two steles with painted figures on from Sidon.

THE HITTITE HALL

BOOM NO. 4, OR THE HITTITE HALL.—The Marash lion with a long Hittite inscription on its body ; the statue of a Babylonian King (15th cent. B.C.), and on the wall a huge copy of an Assyrian figure, the original being in Konia.

BOOM NO. 5.—Enormous Boman Sarcophagus from Eregli; some other statues of the Boman period.

BOOM NO. 6, OR HALL OF ARCHITECTURE.—On the left, frieze from the temple of Hecate in Elghineli (Asia Minor); in the middle, objects found in Didyme (A. Minor); and On the right, frieze from the temple in Magnesia of Meander (A. Minor).

BOOM NO. 7.—Three specimens of the earliest Ionian capital.

Staircase.—On each side two lions from the Palace of Bucoleon in Constantinople built by Justinian 567 A.D. On tbe wall ascending: a Medusa head from Constantinople.